Plame’s cover was famously blown in a 2003 Robert Novak column. Until then, her mission to protect the U.S. from enemies in the Middle East was a lot like that of “Homeland” lead Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes.

Plame was at the TCA tour as one of the women featured in PBS’s “Makers,” which looks at women’s accomplishments in war, entertainment, and politics, among other fields. She said that in some parts of the world, “women are wallpaper,” barely noticed by men — which can actually be helpful to a spy.

“You can move around in a lot of places without anyone looking askance at you,” she said.